Named in honor of Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis and the visionary $100 million gift from their foundation, the CMO will enable Memorial Sloan Kettering researchers to speed the translation of new discoveries into routine clinical practice and reshape the design of clinical trials.

“Progress in our understanding of the biology of cancer has completely shifted the way we think about and treat cancer,” says Memorial Sloan Kettering President and CEO Craig B. Thompson. “We’re moving away from the concept of treating cancer as many different types of the same disease and toward treating each person’s cancer as its own unique disease. “

“The CMO is a bold initiative, a true transformational effort, that will bring genomic medicine to our patients,” adds José Baselga, Physician-in-Chief of Memorial Hospital. Ultimately, the goal of the new initiative is to fully deliver on the promise of personalized medicine by creating better treatment options for all people with cancer.

Commenting on the center, Mr. Kravis said, “Memorial Sloan Kettering has already proven itself to be a leader in understanding cancer at the genetic level and in putting that knowledge to work for patients. The new Center for Molecular Oncology will take these efforts to an entirely new level, and I look forward with great anticipation to the discoveries that lie ahead.”

Mrs. Kravis, who has been a member of Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Boards of Overseers and Managers since October 2000 and is Chair of the Sloan Kettering Institute added, “Henry and I are delighted to support this exciting new initiative, which offers such hope to people around the world.”

New Opportunities for Personalized Treatment

“The mission of the Center for Molecular Oncology is to bring together a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, geneticists, cell biologists, and bioinformaticians to really try to get to the fundamental question of why a particular individual gets their cancer,” explains CMO Director David B. Solit.

The center’s faculty will undertake a vast, translational research program. For every type of cancer, archived tumor specimens and tissues obtained in clinical trials will be comprehensively profiled using cutting-edge DNA sequencing instrumentation and other technologies. The molecular information of each tumor will then be correlated with clinical data — such as the patient’s outcome and response to therapy — to identify the functional significance of genetic alterations in tumors and the opportunities they offer for treating cancer patients in a more individualized way.

“For some patients, this could be a game changer,” says Associate CMO Director Michael Berger. “We can find mutations in their tumor that suggest they are going to respond to a drug that the oncologist never would have thought to try.”

“We feel we are at the cutting edge of opportunity in science and medicine,” adds Sloan Kettering Institute Director Joan Massagué. “[The Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Foundation] is making it possible, with their generosity, to take a leap.”

Comments

Submitted by Hayedeh Daftari | Tuesday, May 20, 2014 - 9:41 AM.

I am a Cancer survivor and I have few question about this research.
Is this research apply to all cancers or targeted to a specific kind?
Is this research had started only at the Sloan Kettering, or some other country have done that as well?
Are the medication FDA Approved? Is it covered by Insurance?

Hayedeh, thank you for interest in this endeavor! Scientists participating in our Center for Molecular Oncology will conduct research on all types of cancer, including both common and rare diseases, with special emphasis on cancers that are difficult to treat. Their goal is to gain knowledge about gene changes in tumor cells, and this knowledge will help doctors match future patients with the best drug available for their particular cancer. For some patients this might be an FDA approved drug. Other patients may be offered an experimental drug by enrolling in a clinical trial.

We are not the only ones doing this type of research. Similar efforts are taking place at some other institutions in the United States and around the world. That said, a number of things make our research program special and puts MSK in a unique position to make progress that will directly benefit patients. Among them are the vast scope of the CMO, our unmatched collection of tumor samples, and the breadth of our clinical expertise and clinical trials.

Hayedeh, we also reached out to our experts in pathology to find out if genomic profiling of tumors is covered by insurance. They say it varies depending on the insurance plan and the type of cancer. For certain cancers, genomic profiling is considered standard of care for selecting an appropriate targeted therapy, and some insurance plans do cover such testing. However, many insurance providers are still making coverage determinations because the technology is very new. For other cancers, genomic profiling tests are considered investigational and may be covered by clinical trials or research funds. Hope this information is helpful.

Submitted by B.J. Rassam | Tuesday, May 20, 2014 - 2:27 PM.

Wow - that generous donation can go a long way in doing a ton of good for those who are suffering. I hope it is spent well.

Submitted by Doreen R. Purcell | Tuesday, May 20, 2014 - 4:21 PM.

wow, what a wonderful gift. So many people will benefit from this generosity!! I was a patient at MSKCC in 1962 where Dr. George Pack performed what he call a "prophilatic operation" on my arm after I was sent there for a tiny malignantmelanoma. -I owe my life to him and MSKCC. I am now 79 and contribute a small amount to MSKCC each month. I wear a large scar on my arm proudly as a badge of thank you to Dr. Pack and MSKCC. Keep up the good work. You will find a cure!!!!!!!!! G-d Bless you all.

Submitted by Terri | Tuesday, May 20, 2014 - 5:53 PM.

My boyfriend died of liver cancer in 2005. Hope this research helps.

Submitted by Susan Wolff | Tuesday, May 20, 2014 - 6:43 PM.

I was a patient at MSKCC in 1964 at the age of 17. Due to the wonderful care by Dr. Harry Grabstald and Dr. Ted Miller I survived and have been living a full satisfying life. I will never forget how wonderful and caring the nurses and doctors were. Despite radical surgery, I recovered and got back to living.

Submitted by Barbara Flanagan | Tuesday, May 20, 2014 - 8:35 PM.

Sloan Kettering has saved my sister and sister n law from breast cancer! I am eternally grateful. Thank you to all of the generous groups who contribute to Sloan and their cause. I believe they will find a cure and I pray for all who may be suffering at this time.

Submitted by Kim Starr | Tuesday, May 20, 2014 - 9:58 PM.

This is such exciting news. I hope the results will be shared and utilized by all cancer treatment centers. I have raised money for Fred's Team in the NYM in 2012. I pray for continued research to stop the barriers that prevent us from wiping cancer off the map. My mother died of a brain tumor at age 59, my father died at age 68 from lung and esophageal, my brother side at age 57 with cll, lymphoma, and ultimately metastatic thymic cancer, and my identical twin sister just died at age 54 with esophageal cancer. With an organization like this, I can live with HOPE and FAITH, that my children and there children will have a strong chance of surviving the previously unsurvivable. Thank you, and God bless you all. Kim Starr

Submitted by Leonard Karasyk | Tuesday, May 20, 2014 - 11:56 PM.

The establishment of the Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology is very exciting news that brings hope to patients like me. The Kravis Foundation's magnificently generous gift to MSKCC enabling the creation of this state of the art Center is wonderful. May God bless Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis.

Submitted by James Fregara | Wednesday, May 21, 2014 - 8:03 AM.

The care at Sloan is beyond belief, I witness every other week how many people are sick. It is truly scary, it literally put's a huge monkey wrench in anyone's happy life...I'm in a good place with Sloan giving my wife the best of care. This donation can only help them to excel in their goals to find cures. God Bless anyone who gives for any research by Sloan professionals. Or any other research for the ill.

Submitted by Ermyntrude Gabriel | Wednesday, May 21, 2014 - 9:48 AM.

I am so happy for that development I had a friend who died of breast cancer in that same hospital, sorry she did not get that opportunity. However others will when I see all the kids with various form of Cancer my heart break every time, that's why I also donate to the St Jude Children Hospital. God bless you all, keep up the good work he will continue to guide your healing hands.

Submitted by Stu | Wednesday, May 21, 2014 - 3:28 PM.

Will results/findings/insights from the new Center be published and/or made available to physicians outside of MSK –– such as those monitoring my MDS at another Manhattan hospital?

Stu, we sent your question to Ross Levine, one of our experts in leukemia and MDS. He said that "we currently, through the Diagnostic Molecular Pathology lab, have a state-of-the-art test for patients with myeloid malignancies, including
MDS, which is available to patients who seek care at MSK. For patients outside MSK, we have helped the company Foundation Medicine develop a genomic test
for hematologic cancers that outside clinicians can access." Thank you for your comment.

Submitted by James Gordon | Friday, May 23, 2014 - 5:41 PM.

How are individuals selected to participate in this research study? Is prostate cancer one of the cancers being studied?

James, thank you for your comment. We sent your questions to Dr. Solit, and he said, "All tumors types, including prostate cancer, are part of the initiative. Patients with prostate cancer are being selected for analysis by the clinicians who direct their care. If a patient with prostate cancer is interested in participating in this initiative, he should discuss this with an MSK medical oncologist. There is a unique challenge with prostate cancer in that it has a very long natural history making tissue collected at the time of primary surgery of little relevance to the disease that is present often many years later." If you would like to make an appointment with an MSK doctor, you can call 800-525-2225 or go to http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/appointment for more information.

Submitted by Susan Kinloch | Sunday, May 25, 2014 - 6:55 PM.

What a wonderful Gift. Thank you to the doners.
To be at the front of technology in an continuing effort to save life.

Can you please let me know if you consider Langerhans Histiocytosis, as a genetic alteration in tumours or cysts?

My wife just died from a rare cancer, leiomyosarcoma. She was treated at Sloan for 3 years. I hope this donation leads to a cure from this terrible disease.

Submitted by Loos belfiore | Friday, May 30, 2014 - 4:57 PM.

I have had metastatic breast cancer for six yeArs. Almost all treatments work until the cAncer changes and then they don't. will this research benefit those of us who have been "chasing" cancer. We really need some help. More of is are surviving cAncer only to find we have become chronically ill with a disease no one can help us with.

Scientists participating in our Center for Molecular Oncology will conduct research on all types of cancer, including both common and rare diseases, with special emphasis on cancers that are difficult to treat. Already in progress, one of the CMO’s first goals is to use the MSK-IMPACT test (new technology that can reliably and accurately screen for mutations in 341 cancer-associated genes) to sequence both healthy cells and tumor cells in all patients with metastatic disease.

According to CMO Director David Solit, “We are initially focusing our efforts on those patients who most urgently need better treatments. We hope to discover why their tumors spread and perhaps why they may have been predisposed to cancer in the first place. It’s likely that these discoveries will also lead to improved treatments for patients with earlier-stage disease because the same genetic markers may aid in the identification of patients who need more aggressive therapy upfront, or who can be spared certain treatments that offer no benefit.”

Over time,I was diagnosed with an overabundance of platelets..going from 450,000 to over 950,000 ...then I was asked by my oncologist if I would consider chemo-therapy because my bone marrow was affected and she suggested Hydroxyurea.....I would appreciate your opinions please.

Dear Gloria, unfortunately, we cannot answer personal medical questions on our blog. If you'd like to speak to a doctor at Memorial Sloan Kettering, you can call for an appointment at 800-525-2225 during regular business hours. Or you can find out more here: http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/appointment. Thank you so much for reaching out.

Submitted by Sandra Reed | Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 7:13 AM.

I am very glad to be a patient at Sloan. I am on a trial and having very good results.

Submitted by Carolyn Hertzig | Sunday, July 27, 2014 - 8:04 AM.

Is there a standard treatment for when clear cell renal carcinoma metastasizes to the lung or liver?

If you would like to discuss which treatment options may be appropriate for you or a family member, please call our Physician Referral Service to make an appointment with one of our specialists. The phone number to call is 800-525-2225. Thank you for your comment.

Submitted by Jeanne Corvan | Tuesday, December 16, 2014 - 7:53 PM.

I am currently an outpatient at 53rd having pancreatic cancer. I was interested as to whether patients with this form of cancer (and at what stage) were being selected for analysis by their clinicians? If not at the present time, was there a projected date?

Jeanne, we forwarded your questions to Peter Allen, one of the surgeons on our pancreatic cancer team, and he said, "We are working on profiling patient tumors in the Center for Molecular Oncology. I would expect we will be doing this on a more routine basis over the next 6-12 months." If you'd like to learn more about it we recommend you speak with your treating physician at MSK. Thank you for your comment.

Submitted by DOMINICK STEO | Thursday, January 22, 2015 - 2:05 PM.

HOW CAN MY MSKCC DOCTOR TELL ME IF MY LUNG CANCER TUMOR IS IN FACT LUNG CANCER TUMOR OR A BENIGN.
CAN A LUNG TUMOR BE BENIGN???

Dominick, we are not able to answer personal medical questions on our
blog. If you are a current MSK patient, this is something that you should discuss with your physician. Thank you for your comment.

Add a Comment

We welcome your questions and comments. Because this is a public forum, please do not include contact information or other personal details. Also, keep in mind that while we can provide general information and resources, we cannot offer personal medical advice. To make an appointment with one of our experts, contact our Physician Referral Service at 800-525-2225 or online.

aggressive (uh-GREH-siv)

In medicine, describes a tumor or disease that forms, grows, or spreads quickly. It may also describe treatment that is more severe or intense than usual.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

analysis (uh-NA-lih-sis)

A process in which anything complex is separated into simple or less complex parts.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

biopsy (BY-op-see)

The removal of cells or tissues for examination by a pathologist. The pathologist may study the tissue under a microscope or perform other tests on the cells or tissue. There are many different types of biopsy procedures. The most common types include: (1) incisional biopsy, in which only a sample of tissue is removed; (2) excisional biopsy, in which an entire lump or suspicious area is removed; and (3) needle biopsy, in which a sample of tissue or fluid is removed with a needle. When a wide needle is used, the procedure is called a core biopsy. When a thin needle is used, the procedure is called a fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

brain tumor (brayn TOO-mer)

The growth of abnormal cells in the tissues of the brain. Brain tumors can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer).

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

breast (brest)

Glandular organ located on the chest. The breast is made up of connective tissue, fat, and breast tissue that contains the glands that can make milk. Also called mammary gland.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

cancer (KAN-ser)

A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is a cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is a cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is a cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord. Also called malignancy.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

carcinoma (KAR-sih-NOH-muh)

Cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

cell (sel)

The individual unit that makes up the tissues of the body. All living things are made up of one or more cells.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

clear cell (kleer sel)

A type of cell that looks clear inside when viewed under a microscope.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

clinical (KLIH-nih-kul)

Having to do with the examination and treatment of patients.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

clinical trial (KLIH-nih-kul TRY-ul)

A type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches work in people. These studies test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of a disease. Also called clinical study.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

diagnosis (DY-ug-NOH-sis)

The process of identifying a disease, such as cancer, from its signs and symptoms.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

DNA

The molecules inside cells that carry genetic information and pass it from one generation to the next. Also called deoxyribonucleic acid.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

drug (drug)

Any substance, other than food, that is used to prevent, diagnose, treat or relieve symptoms of a disease or abnormal condition. Also refers to a substance that alters mood or body function, or that can be habit-forming or addictive, especially a narcotic.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

esophageal (ee-SAH-fuh-JEE-ul)

Having to do with the esophagus, the muscular tube through which food passes from the throat to the stomach.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

esophageal cancer (ee-SAH-fuh-JEE-ul KAN-ser)

Cancer that forms in tissues lining the esophagus (the muscular tube through which food passes from the throat to the stomach). Two types of esophageal cancer are squamous cell carcinoma (cancer that begins in flat cells lining the esophagus) and adenocarcinoma (cancer that begins in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids).

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

experimental (ek-SPAYR-ih-men-tul)

In clinical trials, refers to a drug (including a new drug, dose, combination, or route of administration) or procedure that has undergone basic laboratory testing and received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be tested in human subjects. A drug or procedure may be approved by the FDA for use in one disease or condition, but be considered experimental in other diseases or conditions. Also called investigational.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

FDA

An agency in the U.S. federal government whose mission is to protect public health by making sure that food, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements are safe to use and truthfully labeled. The FDA also makes sure that drugs, medical devices, and equipment are safe and effective, and that blood for transfusions and transplant tissue are safe. Also called Food and Drug Administration.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

gene (jeen)

The functional and physical unit of heredity passed from parent to offspring. Genes are pieces of DNA, and most genes contain the information for making a specific protein.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

genetic (jeh-NEH-tik)

Inherited; having to do with information that is passed from parents to offspring through genes in sperm and egg cells.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

investigational (in-VES-tih-GAY-shuh-nul)

In clinical trials, refers to a drug (including a new drug, dose, combination, or route of administration) or procedure that has undergone basic laboratory testing and received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be tested in human subjects. A drug or procedure may be approved by the FDA for use in one disease or condition, but be considered investigational in other diseases or conditions. Also called experimental.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

kidney (KID-nee)

One of a pair of organs in the abdomen. Kidneys remove waste from the blood (as urine), produce erythropoietin (a substance that stimulates red blood cell production), and play a role in blood pressure regulation.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

leukemia (loo-KEE-mee-uh)

Cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of blood cells to be produced and enter the bloodstream.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

lung (lung)

One of a pair of organs in the chest that supplies the body with oxygen, and removes carbon dioxide from the body.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

lymphoma (lim-FOH-muh)

Cancer that begins in cells of the immune system. There are two basic categories of lymphomas. One kind is Hodgkin lymphoma, which is marked by the presence of a type of cell called the Reed-Sternberg cell. The other category is non-Hodgkin lymphomas, which includes a large, diverse group of cancers of immune system cells. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas can be further divided into cancers that have an indolent (slow-growing) course and those that have an aggressive (fast-growing) course. These subtypes behave and respond to treatment differently. Both Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas can occur in children and adults, and prognosis and treatment depend on the stage and the type of cancer.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

medical oncologist (MEH-dih-kul on-KAH-loh-jist)

A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer using chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapy, and targeted therapy. A medical oncologist often is the main health care provider for someone who has cancer. A medical oncologist also gives supportive care and may coordinate treatment given by other specialists.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

medicine (MEH-dih-sin)

Refers to the practices and procedures used for the prevention, treatment, or relief of symptoms of a diseases or abnormal conditions. This term may also refer to a legal drug used for the same purpose.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

melanoma (MEH-luh-NOH-muh)

A form of cancer that begins in melanocytes (cells that make the pigment melanin). It may begin in a mole (skin melanoma), but can also begin in other pigmented tissues, such as in the eye or in the intestines.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

metastatic (meh-tuh-STA-tik)

Having to do with metastasis, which is the spread of cancer from the primary site (place where it started) to other places in the body.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

multidisciplinary (MUL-tee-DIH-sih-plih-NAYR-ee)

In medicine, a term used to describe a treatment planning approach or team that includes a number of doctors and other health care professionals who are experts in different specialties (disciplines). In cancer treatment, the primary disciplines are medical oncology (treatment with drugs), surgical oncology (treatment with surgery), and radiation oncology (treatment with radiation).

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

myeloid (MY-eh-loyd)

Having to do with or resembling the bone marrow. May also refer to certain types of hematopoietic (blood-forming) cells found in the bone marrow. Sometimes used as a synonym for myelogenous; for example, acute myeloid leukemia and acute myelogenous leukemia are the same disease.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

oncologist (on-KAH-loh-jist)

A doctor who specializes in treating cancer. Some oncologists specialize in a particular type of cancer treatment. For example, a radiation oncologist specializes in treating cancer with radiation.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

oncology (on-KAH-loh-jee)

The study of cancer.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

outcome (OWT-kum)

A specific result or effect that can be measured. Examples of outcomes include decreased pain, reduced tumor size, and improvement of disease.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

pancreatic (PAN-kree-A-tik)

Having to do with the pancreas.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

personalized medicine (PER-suh-nuh-LIZED MEH-dih-sin)

A form of medicine that uses information about a person’s genes, proteins, and environment to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

physician (fih-ZIH-shun)

Medical doctor.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

prostate (PROS-tayt)

A gland in the male reproductive system. The prostate surrounds the part of the urethra (the tube that empties the bladder) just below the bladder, and produces a fluid that forms part of the semen.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

prostate cancer (PROS-tayt KAN-ser)

Cancer that forms in tissues of the prostate (a gland in the male reproductive system found below the bladder and in front of the rectum). Prostate cancer usually occurs in older men.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

referral (reh-FER-ul)

In medicine, the act of a doctor in which a patient is sent to another doctor for additional healthcare services.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

Referral

The approval form you receive from your primary care physician for you to see a specialist or get certain services. In many managed care plans, you need to get a referral form before you get care from anyone except your primary care doctor. If you do not first get a referral, the plan may not pay for your care. Patients in HMO plans must also obtain authorization for treatment from the carrier prior to an appointment at an out-of-network facility.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

response (reh-SPONTS)

In medicine, an improvement related to treatment.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

standard of care (STAN-durd ... kayr)

Treatment that experts agree is appropriate, accepted, and widely used. Also called best practice, standard medical care, and standard therapy.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

surgery (SER-juh-ree)

A procedure to remove or repair a part of the body or to find out whether disease is present. An operation.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

targeted therapy (TAR-geh-ted THAYR-uh-pee)

A type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances, such as monoclonal antibodies, to identify and attack specific cancer cells. Targeted therapy may have fewer side effects than other types of cancer treatments.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

therapy (THAYR-uh-pee)

Treatment.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

tissue (TIH-shoo)

A group or layer of cells that work together to perform a specific function.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

translation (trans-LAY-shun)

In biology, the process by which a cell makes proteins using the genetic information carried in messenger RNA (mRNA). The mRNA is made by copying DNA, and the information it carries tells the cell how to link amino acids together to form proteins.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

translational research (trans-LAY-shuh-nul reh-SERCH)

A term used to describe the process by which the results of research done in the laboratory are used to develop new ways to diagnose and treat disease.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

tumor (TOO-mer)

An abnormal mass of tissue that results when cells divide more than they should or do not die when they should. Tumors may be benign (not cancer), or malignant (cancer). Also called neoplasm.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

will (wil)

A legal document in which a person states what is to be done with his or her property after death, who is to carry out the terms of the will, and who is to care for any minor children.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)